February 20th

February 20th
Matthew 4:1-11
Linda Hillis

This is the very familiar story of Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. The wilderness is a place of struggle, temptation and testing. Just as Israel came out of Egypt and for forty years was tested in the wilderness, so now Jesus experiences his own exodus, passing through the waters of baptism, and into the desert to be tested for forty days, as Israel was for forty years. The first temptation could not have been better timed. Jesus had been fasting for forty days. He was entitled to eat. Even Israel in the Old Testament was miraculously fed by manna. Why not the Son of God? “Turn these stones into loaves of bread. Use your power to satisfy your physical needs. You are entitled to food after a forty-day fast.” Jesus was hungry and of course needed something to eat. Why not turn the stones to bread? The temptation was that Jesus use his miraculous powers to provide for himself. Jesus chose a pattern of life where he would always use his God-given powers for others, never for himself. He healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind and raised the dead. His powers were always for others, not himself. That tells us something profound about the Christian life. Do I seek my own advantage? Do I want things for myself that others cannot have? Am I more concerned about the well being of others, or just myself? The second temptation was the devil’s attempt to get Jesus to doubt God by asking Jesus to put God to the test. Sometimes we are angry at God because we have attempted to test God and we are disappointed. If my loved one is healed of cancer, then I’ll know God loves me. If my boy comes back safely from an overseas mission, then I’ll know God is on my side. If I get the job that I’ve been praying for, then I’ll know that God cares for me. But what if my loved one dies of cancer? What if my boy is killed overseas? What if I don’t get the job? Will I still love and serve God regardless of the outcome, as Jesus does? In the final temptation Jesus is tempted to win the world by worshipping the devil. Jesus flatly refuses. The price that Jesus would pay for his unwavering obedience to God was incredibly high. It would ultimately cost him his life. We are continuously tempted today by the ways of society. How do we respond? Are we prepared to follow the ways of Christ, even unto death?